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2.2 Classification of Chinese Specific Terms
A large number of Chinese specific terms have sprung up since China’s reform and opening-up, along with China’s political, economic, and cultural development. Generally speaking, Chinese specific terms come from the following resources: (1) Chinese geographic features; (2) historical events, scientific and technological advances; (3) national policies and social relationship; (4) ways of life in different times and regions; (5) ways of thinking and values; (6) works in literature, art and Chinese philosophy and so on. Therefore, Chinese specific terms can be typically classified into the following categories:
1. About politics, economy and technology
廉政建设(clean government building), 八荣八耻(the “eight honor and eight shame” outlook), 三个代表(Thought of Three Represents ), 小金库(a private coffer), 假日经济(holiday economy), 泡沫经济(bubble economy), 中国硅谷(China’s “Silicon Valley”), 载人航天(manned spaceflight), 博客(Blog/Blogger), etc.
2. About culture, sports and entertainment
风水(Fengshui/Geomantic Omen), 叩头(Kowtow), 儒家文化(Confucian culture), 文化大革命(Cultural revolution), 功夫(Kungfu ), 太极拳(Tai Chi), 秧歌(yang ko), 相声(cross-talk/comic dialogue), 小品(witty skits), etc.
3. About social phenomenon
啃老族(young people relying on their parents), 负翁(young people with a big loan from a bank), 月光族(young people who spend out all their monthly income), 追星族(star struck), etc.
4. About clothes, food, housing and transportation (basic necessities of life)
旗袍(cheongsam), 饺子(jiaozi), 棚户(family that live in shacks), 四合院(siheyuan/Quadrangle), 磁悬浮列车(Maglev train/magnetically levitated train), 轻轨火车(light rail train), 全天候飞机(all-weather aircraft), etc.
2.3 Characteristics of Chinese Specific Terms
In this section, the author focuses on the characteristics of Chinese specific terms. In order to know the characteristics of Chinese specific terms, we must firstly have a good understand of the Chinese specific terms. It is well known that China is a country with long history and rich culture. As the fast increasing communication with the outside world, Chinese create many new words and expressions with Chinese characteristics. These words and expressions with Chinese characteristics exist only in China. Here in this paper, Chinese specific terms have a close relationship with the Chinese political system, economic system and social life. They can also reflect the Chinese culture and values. Naturally, they are absent in foreign countries or foreign languages.
To sum up, Chinese specific terms have three prominent characteristics which have been formed along with the long history.
First, Chinese specific terms have the characteristic which is called peculiarity or uniqueness. Such terms reflect the things, objects, events or concepts which are peculiar or unique to the Chinese culture. They do not exist or differ from those in the English-speaking cultures. Here are some typically examples: Erhu (二胡), guzheng (古筝), pipa (琵琶), cheongsam (旗袍), solar terms (节气), and so on, reflecting the most vivid features of Chinese culture.
Second, Chinese specific terms are embedded with cultural connotations. This kind of terms mainly refers to those terms with rich cultural connotations. For example, the institutional terms ren (仁), yi (义), li (礼), zhi (智), jie (节), xin (信), zhongyong (中庸), indicate the various behavior norms required in ancient China.
Finally, Chinese specific terms have no equivalents in the English language. Such terms cannot find the equivalents or identities in English language, although sometimes they have similarities. To some extent, this is also the reflection of cultural persity. Under some circumstances, even if there are “equivalents” existing between cultures, their cultural connotations may differ. For example, mandarin duck (鸳鸯), yuanbao (元宝), jiaozi (饺子), shichen (时辰), youtiao/deep-fried dough (油条), etc.